Evgeny Tomashevsky of Russia leads the 2014-15 FIDE Grand Prix series after dominating the field in Tbilisi, Georgia last month. The tournament was the third in the current series, which will finish in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia in May. The top two places qualify for the 2016 Candidates tournament to determine the next challenger to World Champion Magnus Carlsen.
Tomashevsky's unbeaten score of 8/11 in the twelve-player round-robin put him a point and a half clear in first place. Second was Dmitry Javokenko (Russia) and third was Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan) a further half point behind. With one event left in the series, the leading contenders for the two qualifying spots are Tomashevsky, Fabiano Caruana (Italy) and Hikaru Nakamura (USA).
Today's game is Tomashevsky's victory over top seed Alexander Grischuk (Russia) from the third round at Tbilisi. Tomashevsky has the white pieces.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.h3
A system against the King's Indian Defence related to the Makagonov (5.h3) in that White intends to advance his pawn to g4 to deter the thematic …f7-f5 counter-thrust from Black and with ideas of a possible kingside attack. 6... e5 7.d5 a5 8.g4 Na6 9.Be3 Nd7 10.a3 c6!?
A new idea – most common is 10... Nac5 11.Rg1 a4 securing the knight's position on c5. 11.Rg1
Declining the pawn sacrifice 11.dxc6 Ndc5! 12.b4 Ne6 with compensation in terms of development and the exposed white king. 11... Rb8 12.Nd2 Ndc5 13.Rb1 Nd7 14.Qf3 Ndc5 15.Qd1 Ra8 16.Rg3 Kh8 17.b4
After a period of shadow-boxing, White commits to play on the queenside. 17... axb4 18.axb4 Nd7 19.Ra1 Rb8 20.Rxa6! bxa6
Declining the exchange sacrifice is not an option: 20... cxd5?! 21.Rxd6 d4 22.c5 dxc3 23.Nb1 winning the c-pawn with a big advantage. 21.dxc6 Nb6 22.Qa1!?
White's follow up is designed to maximise his advantage in piece activity. Alternatives were 22.b5 axb5 23.cxb5 with connected passed pawns, or regaining material by 22.c5 dxc5 23.Bxc5 Qc7! (23... Rg8 24.Rd3 Qc7 24.Bd6) 24.Bxf8 Bxf8 25.b5 axb5 26.Bxb5 with an extra pawn though Black is quite active. 22... Qc7 23.c5! dxc5 24.bxc5 Na8 25.Qa4 Qa7 26.Nc4?!
White is playing to tie down the black pieces, particularly the knight on a8, and for now is doubled c-pawns are invulnerable, but could prove weak if Black can attack them. Here he missed a strong tactical idea 26.Nd5! Nc7 (26... Be6? 27.c7! Nxc7 28.c6 wins) 27.Qa5! Ne6 28.c7 Ra8 29.Nc4 with a strong bind. 26... Be6 27.Bd3
The immediate 27.Nb6 was better, blocking the action of the black queen and rook. 27... Rfd8 28.Ke2 Nc7?!
After this Black has difficulty organising his pieces. He had a chance to return the exchange to free his position 28... Rd4! 29.Bxd4 exd4 30.Nd5 Qxc5 when the c-pawns are neutralised and White's king is exposed leaving Black better. 29.Nb6 Bf6?
This results in a critical loss of time. After 29... f6 all three results are possible. 30.Bc4 Bxc4+ 31.Qxc4 Ne6 32.Ncd5 Bg7 33.Rf3 Re8
White's also wins after both 33... Rf8 34.Nd7 Rb2+ 35.Kf1 Rc8 36.Rxf7 Rxc6 37.Ne7! and 33... f6 34.Nxf6 Nd4+ 35.Bxd4 Rxd4 36.Qe6 a5 37.Kf1! safeguarding the king before the knights overwhelm the defence. 34.c7! Rb7
Or 34... Nxc7 35.Rxf7 Rb7 36.c6 winning material. 35.c8=Q Rxc8 36.Nxc8 Rb2+ 37.Kf1 Resigns
Tomashevsky leads FIDE Grand Prix
Problem: Black to play and mate in 5.
Evgeny Tomashevsky of Russia leads the 2014-15 FIDE Grand Prix series after dominating the field in Tbilisi, Georgia last month. The tournament was the third in the current series, which will finish in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia in May. The top two places qualify for the 2016 Candidates tournament to determine the next challenger to World Champion Magnus Carlsen.
Tomashevsky's unbeaten score of 8/11 in the twelve-player round-robin put him a point and a half clear in first place. Second was Dmitry Javokenko (Russia) and third was Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan) a further half point behind. With one event left in the series, the leading contenders for the two qualifying spots are Tomashevsky, Fabiano Caruana (Italy) and Hikaru Nakamura (USA).
Today's game is Tomashevsky's victory over top seed Alexander Grischuk (Russia) from the third round at Tbilisi. Tomashevsky has the white pieces.
1.d4 Nf6
2.c4 g6
3.Nc3 Bg7
4.e4 d6
5.Nf3 O-O
6.h3
A system against the King's Indian Defence related to the Makagonov (5.h3) in that White intends to advance his pawn to g4 to deter the thematic …f7-f5 counter-thrust from Black and with ideas of a possible kingside attack.
6... e5
7.d5 a5
8.g4 Na6
9.Be3 Nd7
10.a3 c6!?
A new idea – most common is 10... Nac5 11.Rg1 a4 securing the knight's position on c5.
11.Rg1
Declining the pawn sacrifice 11.dxc6 Ndc5! 12.b4 Ne6 with compensation in terms of development and the exposed white king.
11... Rb8
12.Nd2 Ndc5
13.Rb1 Nd7
14.Qf3 Ndc5
15.Qd1 Ra8
16.Rg3 Kh8
17.b4
After a period of shadow-boxing, White commits to play on the queenside.
17... axb4
18.axb4 Nd7
19.Ra1 Rb8
20.Rxa6! bxa6
Declining the exchange sacrifice is not an option: 20... cxd5?! 21.Rxd6 d4 22.c5 dxc3 23.Nb1 winning the c-pawn with a big advantage.
21.dxc6 Nb6
22.Qa1!?
White's follow up is designed to maximise his advantage in piece activity. Alternatives were 22.b5 axb5 23.cxb5 with connected passed pawns, or regaining material by 22.c5 dxc5 23.Bxc5 Qc7! (23... Rg8 24.Rd3 Qc7 24.Bd6) 24.Bxf8 Bxf8 25.b5 axb5 26.Bxb5 with an extra pawn though Black is quite active.
22... Qc7
23.c5! dxc5
24.bxc5 Na8
25.Qa4 Qa7
26.Nc4?!
White is playing to tie down the black pieces, particularly the knight on a8, and for now is doubled c-pawns are invulnerable, but could prove weak if Black can attack them. Here he missed a strong tactical idea 26.Nd5! Nc7 (26... Be6? 27.c7! Nxc7 28.c6 wins) 27.Qa5! Ne6 28.c7 Ra8 29.Nc4 with a strong bind.
26... Be6
27.Bd3
The immediate 27.Nb6 was better, blocking the action of the black queen and rook.
27... Rfd8
28.Ke2 Nc7?!
After this Black has difficulty organising his pieces. He had a chance to return the exchange to free his position 28... Rd4! 29.Bxd4 exd4 30.Nd5 Qxc5 when the c-pawns are neutralised and White's king is exposed leaving Black better.
29.Nb6 Bf6?
This results in a critical loss of time. After 29... f6 all three results are possible.
30.Bc4 Bxc4+
31.Qxc4 Ne6
32.Ncd5 Bg7
33.Rf3 Re8
White's also wins after both 33... Rf8 34.Nd7 Rb2+ 35.Kf1 Rc8 36.Rxf7 Rxc6 37.Ne7! and 33... f6 34.Nxf6 Nd4+ 35.Bxd4 Rxd4 36.Qe6 a5 37.Kf1! safeguarding the king before the knights overwhelm the defence.
34.c7! Rb7
Or 34... Nxc7 35.Rxf7 Rb7 36.c6 winning material.
35.c8=Q Rxc8
36.Nxc8 Rb2+
37.Kf1 Resigns
1-0
Solution: 1... Re1+! 2.Qxe1 (2.Kg2 Qxh2#; 2.Rxe1 Qxd2 3.Re2 Qxe2 4. any Qf2+ 5. Kh1 Qxh2#) 2... Qxh2+ 3.Kf1 Qh1+ 4.Ke2 Qg2+ 5.Qf2 Qxf2#.